Deanna Fleysher is a comedy artist, teacher and director devoted to fierce vulnerability and interactive comedy magic. She tours the world with her award-winning hit show BUTT KAPINSKI and her popular performance workshops Naked Comedy (Fully Clothed) and Drag King Comedy. She directs comedy artists who work without a 4th wall and teaches audience connection and physical presence to people of all ages.

Deanna's journey into performance began at the age of six, when her acting teacher, Tim Anderson, introduced her to the world of stage expressiveness. Growing up in a comedy-loving family, Deanna was shaped by the humor of her parents, sister, and influences like Saturday Night Live, SCTV, Madeline Kahn, and Gene Wilder.

Her early professional acting gigs as a child, along with continuous training, led her to study at Amherst College under Peter Lobdell, who taught her to bring authenticity and physicality to her performances. After moving to New York City, she continued her training with improvisation experts, honing her skills with groups like Burn Manhattan and at theaters such as the PIT, UCB, and Magnet. Deanna studied clown (don’t call it clown) with masters like Giovanni Fusetti and Mick Barnfather, and delved into physical theater forms like Action Theater and butoh.

In addition to teaching high school English and Theater, Deanna directed improv shows, wrote novels, and explored film noir. After relocating to Los Angeles, home to North America's vibrant clown scene, she eventually moved to Bellingham, WA. Her solo show, Butt Kapinski, debuted in 2012, leading to international tours, including two runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, a week off-Broadway, and performances across the US, Canada, Australia, and Europe.

Deanna has directed numerous solo and duo performances around the globe, as well as a notable drag king show in Vancouver, BC. Over the years, she has created a series of beloved characters, including Peanut Butter the rock 'n' roll werewolf, and continues to explore performance through the lens of drag, immersive experiences, and film noir.

For more than a decade, Deanna has been teaching clown, believing in its power to strip away pretense and reveal the core of a performer’s comedy and charm. She has taught this work worldwide, guiding performers to connect more deeply with their audiences, bodies, and joy. Currently, Deanna is exploring online platforms for teaching and creating, embracing the challenges and opportunities they offer.

Her philosophy? Keep the dreams big and the bars low!